BJP veteran in Madhya Pradesh joins Congress

Bhopal: In a huge blow to the BJP, party veteran Sartaj Singh, who had gained the reputation of a giant killer by defeating former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Arjun Singh in the 1998 parliamentary polls from Hosangabad seat, on Thursday joined Congress.

Mr Singh, 75, a veteran of one Lok Sabha election and three Assembly polls, was given Congress ticket from Seoni Malwa Assembly seat, he currently represents, minutes after his party hopping.

Incidentally, BJP has kept on hold the name of the candidate for the seat since the party was negotiating with Mr Singh to field his choice of nominee after he was told in clear terms that he would be denied re-nomination reportedly due to his advanced age.

Mr Singh made a scene by crying like a child here over being overlooked by his parent party and was seen emerging out of Congress quarters smiling barely half-an-hour later.